Hallowed Hearts
by Cthonian
Summary: About a darkling and his adventures with two friends who wield the Keyblade, to stop the Keyblade Wars from happening again.


"OW!" shouted Everette, as a stray stone from the ceiling hit him on the crown of his skull. He rubbed his head in the sore spot, as a female "SHHHHH!" hissed behind him. He looked back to scorn her with his glare, but it was too dark to see. The large shape in front of them turned, and hissed back "Both of you, be quiet. We don't want to disturb the ancients, do we?!" The shape, turned back, heading through the dark tunnel. Everette could see perfectly, only the other two could not. He was a darkling, after all. They were not. So of course he was in the middle. A bright light met them as they narrowed their way out of the dark and dank tunnel, reaching a large room. The light was there, but there was nothing giving off the light that was visible. They looked around, seeing the ancient scribbling and pretexts on the wall. The three companions looked around, seeing three different and dark passageways, dimly lit. ". . . Alright," whispered Argus, "we'll quietly separate into each tunnel. If any of you befalls misfortune by enemy, and you cannot fight, flee here and scream. That way, I'll know and I'll head on my way back. Remember, one of these three tunnels will lead us to our goal." Argus hefted up his Keyblade to his shoulder, and began to walk on. "I'm betting I'll be the one to find the secret." Shino stated in a matter-of-factly fashion. "Who cares? It only makes you stronger a bit stronger. Not like I can use it," Everette quietly argued. Shino winked. "Then leave it to me!" she whispered back, as she headed off into her tunnel. Everette sighed, as he began walking down the dark tunnel, waiting to see his future fate.

Everette's tunnel was long and winding, but he crept through with total ease. In an instant, he was finding himself at a strange door. The door seemed to be held together by a large Keyhole. He found it. The secret they were searching for. He heard a shriek from Shino far back, but he knew Argus would be there any second now; to slay whatever caused a problem. After all, he doesn't fight Heartless. He looked up, placing his hand on the large Keyhole, enveloping it in a dark aura. The aura caused the Keyhole cracked, and shattered, making the doors to open. Once they finished, he walked inside carefully. A bright light shined on him, blinding him for a few seconds. As his eyes adjusted, a feminine figure loomed in front of him. She seemed ghostly at first, but he noticed it was a mere hologram. It seemed to be a message.

"Warrior of the lonely heart, I congratulate you for making it this far to learn the secret. That keyhole could only be opened by the call of a hidden heart. You, who cannot wield the Keyblade, we entrust you with these secrets. The origins of the Keyblade..."

Shino cursed as she cut her arm against a jagged stone. The tunnel was completely black. She could barely get by, only from feeling around with her feet and hands. She began to grow envious of Everette and his ability to see in the dark. She fidgeted with her scarf, a sign of anxiety and longing of comfort. Unlike anyone else, she took it slow and easy. She made sure that she was deathly silent, and extremely light. She had to be careful. Traps could have lain all over the tunnel, and kill her within a second's notice if she messed up. The pressure was intense. The winding tunnel continued on for a while, until she felt a strange pulsating sensation. It felt familiar. As if a Heartless was around somewhere. She grew worried for Everette. That fool refused to fight Heartless, and was the most vulnerable to them. If he was attacked, then there was no hope for him at all. She drew her worry away as the pulsating grew stronger. It was as if her Keyblade longed and raged to find that Heartless and slay it. She came into a circular room, which was still dark. Only, the magma below-_There was magma below the floor of these ruins!_ Shino screamed at herself in her head. This was very, very bad! This whole thing must be a trap, she thought to herself as she carefully tiptoed around the room. She heard a faint clicking noise. She slowly turned around while looking up. Just in time to see a large spindly form. She shrieked.

It was very dark. It seemed too dark. Only Everette could navigate these tunnels. He assumed it would be okay, and it seemed he was wrong. Shino could be in major trouble if anything would happen. He hoped she would find the secret. She needed it more than anyone in the group. Argus wandered around in his tunnel. When it got too dark, Argus conjured up some magic. "Fire," he muttered, as the tip of his Keyblade lit. It gave him the necessary amount of light. Argus, now able to see, could see writing on the tunnel walls. He hoped that those weren't directions and warnings to the end of the tunnel. The stalagmites and stalactites seemed ominous to him. If it were to cave in, nobody would survive, except for maybe Shino. He felt very vulnerable then. He moved on quickly, occasionally tripping on roots and stone. Argus began feeling the wall with his left hand, while the right held the Keyblade. As he headed in further, wondering when it would end, he reached a room of pitch black darkness. The fire seemed to have died out as he entered. He frowned. Something was up. He tried to cast again, but could not. There was something in there. Something was blocking his magic. Argus looked around, and hefted the Keyblade off his shoulder, and held it ready. Something was there. It was watching him. And he didn't even know if was friendly or not. A crackle of stone made him tense up. He closed his eyes. Yes, there was the presence of something. And it was coming for him. He held his ground. Timing would make this perfect. He waited on the pulse of the Heartless that was coming. Immediately, he swung around with his Keyblade branded. The Heartless splattered against the key part, and he noticed the specie. Neo Shadow. Pack hunters. He swung around, noticing he was slaying a good bit of them. But where was the ring leader? It had to be around this area somewhere, somewhere in these old ruins. Everette and Shino were in danger. Argus heard a shriek from back at the checkpoint. He ran, slaying Neo Shadows as he burst around through the tunnel, casting a blizzard spell into the floor for a quick escape and rescue. Not smart, but it didn't matter if they died anyway. Argus jumped on the ice, and skated along the icy floor, making a faster getaway than with normal running. Neo Shadows, which lay crouched, ready for him, leapt at him with great agility and precision. Argus swung the Keyblade around in a circle, simultaneously using a fire spell. The result killed the Neo Shadows, but the ice behind him melted away. The ice was beginning to give out of the cold due to that spell. Argus grimaced as he skated along the gnarled out tunnel, weaving in and out of the way from random Neo Shadows that tried to attack him. He decided not to use the fire spell, and instead just avoided the Neo Shadows in the best way possible. The tunnel began to give out behind him, giving him even more incentive to get the hell out of there. He ducked down a bit, to gain speed. That was a bad idea. As soon as he saw light, a Neo Shadow jumped at him. Only, due to the speed of both, and positioning, all it did was have its body clothesline Argus. His upper torso flew back, as he slammed into the ice below. He held his head, allowing his vision to stop being so colorful. He regained his focus long enough to look where he was. He was out in the temple room clearing. That's when he saw Shino and a giant spider Heartless, ready to fight. Argus ran in, ready to help. They both got into stance, ready to stake on the giant arachnid. It hissed, as it struck at them. . .

". . . Thus, that began the Keyblade War. Ten years later, the next Keyblade master is to emerge. That is your era, warrior of the darkness.

Go forth; learn the secrets of the Keyblade. Learn, so that there may never be another Keyblade war again. Only you know the secrets, and only you shall ever know them. You, who could never wield the Keyblade…"

Everette watched as the hologram dispersed and faded. Behind it lay writing on the walls. It was a strange language, but Everette could translate it. It was one of his abilities in the darkness attribute. As Everette learned, he engraved the memories of the secrets into a dark aura as he spread it over the hieroglyphics. When he was done, he stored half of it in his mind, and half of it in his heart. A few minutes later, a great trembling shook the chamber. Horror gripped him. _The temple was coming down!_

It wasn't himself he was worried about. It was Argus. Argus had no protection against such a danger. He felt heat underneath him. As he stepped, he slung his foot back, as the floor fell into the magma abyss below. Everette panicked slightly, and regained his composure. He looked up. The magma lit the tunnels, making it a bit easier for him for a bum rush out. Everette ran. Stones and structures fell before him, and he blasted it aside with a dark fire spell. Everette rushed through the random traps, stopping the arrows and needles with a dark fire spell to incinerate them. Everette leapt over the small surprise chasm, landing neatly and continuing his escape. Stalagmites fell like lethal missiles, missing him by millimeters. He cursed as he was nearly speared by one, scraping his leg as it came crashing down. Everette ran through the opening in the crypt. They weren't there. He sighed with relief as he ran, though fear was gripping him. As he reached the entrance, he noticed the small bridged collapsed, leaving an open chasm, though small, it still didn't look good enough to jump. He looked for Shino and Argus. He saw them up at the chasm, and he leapt. Everette soared over the gap, missing the edge. He felt a sharp jerk as he looked up. Argus grabbed one arm as Shino grabbed his other arm. They grunted as they pulled him up into safety. Everette looked back at the molten remains, thanking whatever deity existed that they made it out in time, just barely.


End file.
